‘I think Katie’s telling the truth, I really do, Joey,’ Frankie told him.

‘But I remember you talking about her when you were in prison, sis. You hated her and was positive that she was working as Jed’s spy.’

‘Oh, that’s fucking great, that is. We’ll probably drive up to Glasgow and all be bastard-well shot at. Why didn’t you tell me all this earlier?’ Eddie shouted at his daughter.

‘I thought Katie was a wrong ’un in prison, but I don’t think she is now,’ Frankie replied tearfully.

‘Don’t have a go at her, Dad, she’s upset,’ Joey said angrily.

‘And you’ll all be fucking upset if I schlep all the way to poxy Glasgow and get me brains blown out,’ Ed replied unfeelingly.

‘I’m gonna take Frankie upstairs. Pour us some drinks, Dom, and we can talk in her bedroom,’ Joey said. He could tell his dad was in a real shitty mood and when he was like that there was no reasoning with him.

Gary and Ricky were the next to arrive and were shocked to be told what had happened. ‘What you gonna do about Baldwin if he has fucked up? You gonna keep him on?’ Gary asked.

Ed shrugged. ‘Can’t sack him, can I? He knows too much. I’ve only got two choices, forgive him or kill him.’

‘You can’t kill him Dad, Terry’s a good geezer,’ Ricky said, sticking up for the man.

‘No point worrying about it now. For all we know, this pikey bird might be fucking lying,’ Ed replied.

Raymond was the next to turn up. ‘Jesus Christ,’ he said, as Eddie explained the story to him.

Hearing another car engine, Gary looked out of the window. ‘Baldwin’s just pulled up. Now, let’s not get on his case, let’s just worry about getting the kids back for now, eh?’

Everybody agreed, bar Eddie. He didn’t reply.

‘I can’t believe it. I’m positive it was Jed that I killed,’ Terry said, as Gary explained what had happened to him.

‘But how positive? I asked you before if you’d seen the cunt’s face and you said no,’ Eddie yelled, inches away from Terry’s face.

‘Listen, you told me that Jed would be with Jimmy that night, and I know it weren’t him I killed. He had a youngster’s baseball cap on, for fuck’s sake. If what this girl is saying is true, then it ain’t my fault. If I’d have known that his cousin was gonna be with him, I’d have made sure I clocked Jed’s face when I shot him. All I know is that I killed the driver and he was a young ’un. It most certainly wasn’t Jimmy O’Hara.’